We left Chennai yesterday,Tuesday, and headed for Goa. Our Hotel there was a bit "sketch"' as our girls would say. The kids were very good about it; no complaining. I told them that they would get a crown in heaven for staying there. But, not for our visit to Goa!
It is very beautiful here and the hotel is lovely. After waking at 4:00 am every morning in Chennai, it was a treat to be able to sleep in. The maid woke us up at 9:30 (even Kurt!). It is amazing what a difference a good bed can make.( In Chennai the beds were very small and hard. The pillows were thick foam and weighed about 10 lb. each. The rooms were damp and smelly. But hey, we did it; we survived.)
We got here mid afternoon. It is warm and sunny in Goa. We just relaxed here by the pool and enjoyed the hotel until bedtime.
Today, we hired a driver to take us to the beach. It was so fun to drive through the villages along the way. I wanted to stop constantly to take pictures. This place is a photographers dream: The fruit stands, the houses, the children, the elephants, the cows, and the pigs; it's all so fascinating.
FYI... We almost lost Bryce today. The driving here is crazy; one narrow road with lots of people, motorcycles, and cars. Getting out of the car to see a gigantic elephant, Bryce darted across the street without looking. A motorcycle had to screech to a halt and somehow stopped inches from him. Know that your prayers are very meaningful. God is good!
Spending the day at the Arabian Sea is not a bad way to kill an afternoon. Alissa said, "It feels like we are spending the day with the natives". And, she is right, we did. There were lots of Indians with us all day. I think they were determined to see to it that we left the beach with no money left. They were selling services and gifts. We like to visit with them too, because they are such wonderful people ( a few beggars, but mostly people selling). It is fun to mix with the locals whenever we can.
Our driver, Rajan, will be returning for us in the morning. When chatting with him in the car today, he told us that he travels by bus each day for 2 hours to get to the hotel. He lives in a mud hut with his extented family. He is super nice; very polite, knowledgeable, and personable.
These people intrigue me. They are very poor, but you would never know it by seeing them or talking with them. They conduct themselves with class well beyond their status. They are very happy, hard working people. We love the people more than anything.
We have an early morning tomorrow, so I better close. Thank you for all of your prayers. The Lord has clearly blessed this trip: Everything has gone so wonderfully. Also, we love hearing from all of you, so keep writing.
In Him, Gloria